Good Eats and Tall Peaks

Everywhere But Home

The last few weeks have me feeling like a real weekend warrior. Always on the move and rarely home. As much as it’s nice to have a relaxing weekend at home every once in a while, the beginning to the change in season has me on the move. Plus, gas is so cheap right now that it doesn’t make sense to not take a trip out of town.

The two most important kinds of trips you’re ever going to take in life are the trips with your friends and the trips by yourself.

Fortunately in the last couple of weeks I’ve been able to do both. Two very different trips, both equally as fun and necessary, but most importantly have made me say “I don’t want to go home”- which is the tell tale sign of a good trip.

Part 1: Trips With Your Friends: Jackson, Wyoming

The best parts about trips with your friends are… well spending time with your friends. Endless laughs, jenga competitions, hotel breakfast creations, and shake-a-day wagers.

Spring Break 2016

Thankfully our group hit Jackson right after a storm came through on Thursday night. Friday Jackson became what we came to know as “South Beach” and South Beach as we knew it was pretty playful.

Not too shabby, JH.

The rest of the weekend became pretty playful. Spending two days in Jackson and having some final fun at Grand Targhee on Sunday. I can’t wait to make it back there. Incredible views, double chairs, and fun terrain.

A backside, bluebird view.

Trips with your friends are a good reminder of what it means to compromise, communicate, and that if you commit to playing shake-a-day with a group you may end up quickly spending $50 on shots – all valuable learning experiences – thanks Jacob!

Tetons, we’ll be back for ya!

Part 2: Trips by Yourself – Moab, Utah

With a lull in storms in the Wasatch and the final week before March Madness hits Moab, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to make a trip to the desert.

Realizing that I’ve been in Utah over a year but hadn’t been to any of the National Parks yet was a little upsetting. I have to admit, this state has so much to offer that it’s been keeping me busy elsewhere. Nonetheless it was time to make things happen.

If you drive into Moab with snow tires and a ski rack on your vehicle, then you’re probably me. Hey, it’s still February (sorry snow tires…).

A lot of you know that I travel a lot on my own. Some people don’t understand it and most of the time it is because we all have busy lives and it makes it difficult for schedules to align and people having the same desires. Here are my thoughts: why would I sacrifice not experiencing the things I want to do and seeing the places I want to see just because I didn’t have someone to go with?

Here are the reasons I believe taking trips alone are important:

1. You’re on your own schedule. You decide when and what you do – it’s great.
2. Driving alone gives you time to think, sing to yourself, or listen to that audiobook you’ve been putting off for months.
3. You understand how to eat alone at a restaurant. You also understand then how to make friends at a restaurant. In Moab I met another gal who was there alone and she ended up buying a beer for me just for chatting with her.
4. Whatever activity you’ve traveled to do, you realize that your love for that activity is so great that you’ve gone somewhere alone to experience it – and I think that’s pretty neat.

Now that you’ve gotten my two cents, here are some photos from my trip to Moab. I finally did Arches National Park and then another day of some shorter hikes on BLM land. It felt good to get my hiking legs under me again. 25 miles later I had seen some pretty awesome landscapes, enjoy.

I have to admit that it was pretty incredible to see Delicate Arch at sunrise. It was also pretty cool to see snow in Moab down in the red rock. The snow-capped La Sal range was beautiful and I saw my obligatory desert animal – the lizard.

Lastly – here is a recipe that I’ve probably blogged about at some point because it’s such a go-to in my life for hiking, camping, daily snacking, and any other occasion in between.

Combine all ingredients. If your mixture is too sticky, add more oats, flaxseed, or chia seed. If too dry, add more honey or peanut butter. Refrigerate for one hour. Mold into small ping pong or smaller sized balls. Place in airtight container and store in fridge for 5-7 days.

This recipe is all about a little bit of this and that. Don’t feel like you need to follow it exactly.

^^any nut butter/Earth Balance may be used for this recipe, just keep in mind that more dry ingredients may be needed to balance out the oil content of some butters.

This year I’m thankful for Leap Day as it’s given me an extra day in February to finish Shantaram before a couple girlfriends and I start a book club book tomorrow.

March is a new and busy month and is sure to bring some excitement. Do a little more of what makes you happy..

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One thought on “Everywhere But Home”

I went to Moab about five years ago in the summer and have been dying to go back ever since. What an awesome place – must have been truly magnificent to behold in the winter on your own. Thanks for sharing your photos!